Participation in the design of endoscopic operating theatres in the Netherlands
Abstract
Specialised medical workplaces such as dedicated endoscopy operating theatres are complex and so is the design process. Our goal is to deliver guidance for the design of dedicated endoscopic operating rooms by means of a participatory design approach. Currently, in the Netherlands, the design process of these workplaces is done by teams of stakeholders, supported by construction companies and vendors. Unfortunately, disappointment regarding the final design outcome is common. We conducted a number of interviews with stakeholders and a workshop to investigate the reasons for the disappointment. First studies indicate that the main reasons are (1) an absence of a future vision in the hospital, (2) a lack of genuine participation in the design process, (3) limited insight of stakeholders who participate in a planning team into the consequences of decisions and (4) limited use of the knowledge and information in hospitals available.
